Company Calls Upon Tech Organizations and Competitors to Follow Lead
JAGGAER has announced an initiative to make its workplace and external relations more inclusive and respectful by removing all language that is, or may be, viewed as insensitive to some or all employees and stakeholders. As part of this ongoing commitment, the company has already started removing words and terms that refer to historical racial injustices and prejudices.
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“We are doing this first and foremost because it is the right thing to do. We want to create an environment that is comfortable for everyone,” said Jim Bureau, CEO of JAGGAER. “The words we use matter. Whether or not we notice it, language shapes the way we view the world. Adapting our language can be a catalyst for positive change. And let’s face it, some of the terms used in procurement and tech have their origins in systematic oppression and servitude. That is wrong and needs to change.”
Within the context of a broader Human Equity Project, JAGGAER’s leadership has mandated its development, marketing, communications and support teams to go through all of its code, documentation and collateral to identify and eliminate offensive terms, replacing them with neutral and objective alternatives. For example, the terms “blacklist” and “whitelist” have been replaced with “blocked list” and “safe list.” The term “master-slave system” has been replaced with alternatives such as “controller-agent” system. JAGGAER is also addressing language that is insensitive based on gender, sexual orientation, and other prejudices.
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“We don’t claim to be perfect in this respect and recognize that we’re embarking on a journey,” Bureau emphasized. “We challenge our peers around the world, especially those in the procurement tech space, to join us and apply the same thinking. This is a movement that is gaining momentum. We hope that others in our sector will follow our lead, and we are happy to share our process and learnings with anyone that wants to join the journey.”
“We all stand to benefit from inclusivity. By providing a more welcoming environment for people of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds, we expand the talent pool and benefit from a wider range of experiences and social networks,” added Bureau.